


December 2nd - O Christmas Tree

by IMAgentMI



Series: RvB Ficlet Advent Calendar [2]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-02
Updated: 2016-12-02
Packaged: 2018-09-03 19:52:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8727982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IMAgentMI/pseuds/IMAgentMI
Summary: Why does the Christmas tree smell so good?





	

“What the hell are you doing?”

York stopped dead in his tracks.  North was kneeling on the rec room couch, elbows on the armrest, with his face buried into the newly-decorated artificial tree. York could hear a faint whistling from the needles as North breathed.

“It smells like a real tree.”

York fidgeted in the doorway, as though afraid to come closer in case the madness was catching.  

“Um, I helped put it up.   _You helped me put it up_.  It doesn’t smell like a tree.  Like, at all.  It smells like plastic and old tinsel.”

There was a faint tinkling sound as North shook his head, disturbing the ornaments.

“I’m telling you York, it smells like a tree.  An honest-to-god tree.” North sighed like a lover and York saw every branch twitch.

“If you bring that whole thing down, I’m going to strangle you with the popcorn garland.”

“Just shut up and smell it.”

York stepped forward slowly, entirely against his common sense and better judgment. He stood next to North, listening to him breathe, then finally lowered his face to a bough.

“Oh my god.”

Ten minutes later, South walked in. York was flat on his back under the tree now.  He’d flirted with hyperventilation and solved his dizziness problem by simply giving up and laying down where he could still smell it.  North was still frozen in place, face in the branches.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“It smells like a real tree.”

South folded her arms in the doorway. “No it doesn’t.  I helped unpack it.  It smells like dust and cardboard.”

“No.  It smells like sap–”

“–and Christmas–”

“–and pinecones–”

“–and Christmas–”

“–and wet wood–”

“– _and Christmas_ –”

South rolled her eyes and sighed, walked straight in and sniffed.  “Ugh.  Dust and plastic.  Have you two been sniffing glue or something?”

Her only answer was two deep breaths in tandem, and a slight moan from York as he was hit by a fresh wave of dizziness.

“You’re an embarrassment to the family, you know that?”  Without waiting for an answer, South walked out.

“York?”

“Yeah?”

“You think she’s right?”

“Probably.  I mean, you’re definitely an embarrassment to the team, so stands to reason that–”

“No, I mean, do you think this is just in our heads?”

“I dunno.  I mean, I can actually smell it.  Really smell it.  But I’m not sure I’d care even if it was.”

They breathed deeply again, and in that moment they were both turned so deeply inward that they were unaware of the tiny flash of light and the conversation that happened quicker than either of them could think.

“Theta?”

“Yes, Delta?”

“Was that you?”

“North loves Christmas.  It makes him so happy.  It’s just a little thing - do you think he’d mind, if he knew?”

“No, I don’t think he’d mind at all.  But don’t tell him.”

“I won’t. And you?”

“York knew it didn’t smell like a real tree.  But he hoped so much, against all logic.  As you said, it’s just a little thing.”

Smiles passed between the two AI, through the branches of the tree. Their flicker of colour waned, leaving only the illumination from the strands of lights.

“Merry Christmas, Delta.”

“Merry Christmas, Theta.”


End file.
